Drafting the Results Section: How to Maintain an Academic Tone

by Roberto Bradford on September 8, 2025

9 views

Drafting the Results Section: How to Avoid Interpretation

The number crunching is complete, the findings are clear, and now you face the seemingly simple task of writing it up. However, this phase is a stylistic challenge. The main goal of the findings chapter is to neutrally present what you found, not to argue what it means. Including discussion here confuses the structural integrity of your dissertation. This guide provides a comprehensive set of guidelines for composing a precise and formally written results section that faithfully reports your data while strictly avoiding the temptation to explain it.

1. The Fundamental Distinction: Results vs. Discussion

Understanding the essential distinction between the Results chapter and the Discussion chapter is paramount. Think of it as a strict separation of powers.

The Results Chapter: This section is the "empirical evidence." Its only job is to display the findings in a detached manner. It answers the question: "What did you find?"

The Discussion Chapter: This is where you interpret the facts. Its job is to explain the meaning of those results, connect them to the literature, and answer the "so what?". It answers the question: "What do these findings mean?"

Blurring this line weakens both. The reader gets disoriented, unsure if they are reading a fact or your opinion about that fact.

2. The Language of Objectivity

The tone of your writing is your most powerful tool for maintaining objectivity. Select your language to state rather than to imply.

Use Factual Language:

Instead of: "The results show that the intervention was amazing." (Subjective)

Use: "The results indicated a statistically significant improvement in scores." (Neutral)

Other strong choices: "demonstrated," "revealed," "exhibited," "was observed," "was found."

Avoid Value Judgments:

Avoid Subjective Adjectives: Interesting.

Instead of: "A surprising negative correlation was found."

Use: "A negative correlation was found."

Avoid Speculative Verbs: Suggests (Save "suggests" for IGNOU project submission (<a href="http://freeflashgamesnow.com/profile/4088830/Herman88132">http://freeflashgamesnow.com/profile/4088830/Herman88132</a>;) the Discussion chapter).

Instead of: "This finding suggests that the theory is correct."

Use: "This finding is consistent with the proposed theory." or "This finding aligns with the predictions of Theory X."

3. A Structure for Reporting Results

To ensure clarity and objectivity, follow a repetitive structure for presenting each statistical test or qualitative theme.

State the Purpose: Briefly note what you were testing. "To address the first hypothesis, an independent-samples t-test was conducted to compare the mean scores of Group A and Group B."

Report the Key Statistics: Objectively state the relevant results. "The results indicated a significant difference between the groups (t(58) = 3.67, p = .001)."

Describe the Outcome: State what the statistic means in a simple, factual statement. "The mean score for Group A (M = 85.2, SD = 4.3) was significantly higher than the mean score for Group B (M = 76.5, SD = 5.1)."

Direct to the Visual: Point the reader to the accompanying table or figure. "See Table 1 for a summary of the group means and standard deviations."

This formulaic approach keeps your writing on task and prevents you from adding extra interpretation.

4. Using Tables and Figures Effectively

Clear and precise tables and figures are the backbone of an objective results section. They present the data in its rawest state, allowing the reader to see the evidence for themselves.

Tables are for exact values: Use them to present <a href="https://discover.hubpages.com/search?query=descriptive%20statistics">descriptive statistics</a> (e.g., means, standard deviations, p-values, coefficients).

Figures are for trends and comparisons: Use graphs (e.g., bar charts, line graphs) to showcase relationships and differences between groups.

Ensure visuals are self-explanatory: A good table or figure should have a descriptive caption and be interpretable with minimal reference to the text. This minimizes the need for you to over-explain the data in your writing.

5. Reporting All Findings

An objective report details all results, not just the significant ones. A result that fails to reject the null hypothesis is still a important finding.

Do not hide them: Reporting non-significant results is a sign of rigorous research and prevents a skewed understanding.

Report them neutrally: Use the same factual language as you would for a significant result.

Example: "The analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in satisfaction scores between the two conditions (t(42) = 1.23, p = .225)."

6. Mistakes That Introduce Bias

Be on high alert for these frequent missteps that can sneak interpretation into your results section: <img src="https://ignoureports.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/IGNOU-MADVS-Project-Synopsis-MDVP-117-930x620.jpg"; style="max-width:450px;float:left;padding:10px 10px 10px 0px;border:0px;" alt="" />

Apologizing for Results: "Unfortunately, the results were not significant." (This implies a desired outcome, which is subjective).

Speculating on Causes: "The lack of significance was probably due to the small sample size." (Save this for the Discussion chapter on limitations).

Using Emotional Language: "It was exciting to find that..." (This is unprofessional and subjective).

Overusing "Clearly" or "Obviously": If it were clear and obvious, you wouldn't have needed to run the test. Let the data stand on its own.

Conclusion

Writing a compelling results section requires disciplinary restraint. It is an <a href="https://www.houzz.com/photos/query/exercise">exercise</a>; in rhetorical precision, where you step back and let your data take center stage. By using objective language, employing a consistent framework, using tables and figures, and reporting all findings faithfully, you construct a chapter that is credible and trustworthy. This builds a rock-solid base of uninterpreted evidence upon which you can then, in the next chapter, construct a nuanced and persuasive interpretation of what those facts ultimately mean. The power of your argument depends on this strict division.

Topics: ignou project synopsis, ignou project submission

Be the first person to like this.